Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-28
PRINCE OF GAMBLERS.
Pat Sheedy, Once Known Far and Wide
for His Big Transactions on the Green
Cincinnati ENQUIRER.

|
prince of gamblers. He was known IA
and wide by reason of his big transac
tions on the green baize. Faro was hi.
favorite game, and for years he ran ont
of the most fashionable games in Chica
go. Although mos of the time ne wa:
behind the check rack, he would every
once and awhile don his fighting clothe:
and go out for hand 10 hand encounter
with the "tiger." Whenever he put or
his war paint the proprietors of riVs
banks knew that it was either q case Of
go broke or make big win
ming. Sheedy was high roller in
all the name implied. He never
"piked" around with small bets. With
him it was either lose all the ready money
he possessed or make the dealer turn up
) his box. There was no half way point
with him. He always bet up to the limit
and would be better satisfied if the dealer
took off all restrictions and allowed him
to put down all his money on the single
turn Of a card.
! Sheedy has given up the life of g sport
| for all time to come. He says he found
therefore quit it. He, like all other
!
downs in life. He has been worth
as high as 100000 at one
time, but has frequently been
compelled to borrow the price of meal.
He is protege of Canada Bill, the most
famous three card monte man that ever
lived He took Pat under his charge
when ne was but lad, and drilled MIN in
the fine art of throwing three cards. Pat
did not suck to this kind of a skin game,
but at once branched out as Legitimate
gambler. He is jolly whole-souled fell
low, free spender, and 8 man whose
word is good for thousands of dollars
whenever he wants to borrow. He al
ways makes it point to pay sll his debts
whenever he is in luck. For that reason
he has a host of friends and can "pro-
duce" at any time.
OF course, many interesting stories are
told of the man. Among them are several
that are worth repeating. In 1883 Sheedy
was in partnership with Charles Brush,
the well-known gambler, and another
sport. They were running very pros
porous game in Chicago. Sheedy, be-
sides, was bucking against all the other
games in town. He struck an unusual
bad run of luck, and in thirty days
dumped over 100000 into the Golfers of
the rival banks. Finally it came to the
point where he was down to his last dol
lar. He kept playing, no ever, and put
up q marker for $4,000 with the
owner of the game. This left Pat in q
dilemma. Twenty thousand dollars was
Just the size of the bank roll possessed by
himself and partners in their own game.
Pat debated in his mind quite a time
what course would be best to pursue,
whether he would let the owner of the
rival bank wait for his money or draw out
the bank roll belonging TO himself and
partners and pay it off. He decided on
the lastj course and drew q check on q
National bank for $780, and the roll
was passed over to the hands OF the
rival game. Pat stayed up all night, and
the next morning at IL O'Clock was at his
place of business.
81 see no use to open up" said tSheedy
30 one Of his partners.
"Why not?' the latter inquired.
"Because we can't do business"
"What's 10 prevent us?"
"O1, nothing; only 1 have blown in
the bank roll, and there is no use to try
to do business without money"
The HI you have" was his partners
only retort.
Pat went out into the street with bad
case of blues. Finally he thought of a
man in Cincinnati who owed him $500, |
and he resolved TO come to the Queen |
City. He came, saw the man, and got /
$500 from MIN. At the time he
made the visit the first race !
meeting ever held at Latonia wes in
full blast. The town was "wide oGen,n
and several big games were running.
One of the biggest was owned by Jim |
Crawford, an old Cincinnati sport. BE |
had opened at 90 Fifth street, and Sheedy |
began to play against him with his $500 |
roll. In two days playhe, with the assist |
once of Eli Marks, Louisville gambler, |
made the dealer close shop, and Craw-
ford & Co. were out $4,000. OF this |
amount Sheedy took $1l, 900 and Marks
$4,000. His success in this city
gave him courage, and from here he went f!
TO New York, where he won $4,000 |
more. With this money he returned to
Chicago, restored the bank roll, and for
two wears more remained in partnership
with the same man.
Jerre Dunn, the murderer of Jimmie
Elliott, the prizetighter, accompanied
Sheedy on this trip. 1t will be remem- |
bered that Sheedy did more than any one |
else to get Dunn out of the Elliott
scrape.
"What have you to say about Dunn?"
was asked of Sheedy yesterday.
'Not o thing. He served me q good |
trick once when 1 needed friend, and |
tried to repay it when he got in his trou-
ole with Elliott. l spent my time and |
money to get him out of it, and did no
more than ought to, because was only |
repayipg an old score "
Chow much money have you won in
one sitting?"
".Twenty-six thousand dollars is the |
largest money l ever took off in one
nights play. 1 did that in Chicago, but
it did not all come out of faro bank. l |
was making side bets with Haverly, the |
minstrel man, at the sametime, and be-
tween the two 1 made the big Doodle |
have Just named"
Sheedy has an enormous head. He
wears en- 81 hat, and has to have his hats
made to order. One time during his
visit to Cincinnati he was bothered with
/ bore, The fellow in question was a
little Chicago lawyer, who had followed
Sheedy about from place to place.
70 Whenever l walked he walked,
sra whenever l ate he was sure to
10 the same thing" was Sheedy's de-
Of him. The latter was endeav-
0rinSsko get rid of him, but could think
Of "a way of doing it. Finally one day